Plugboard for tabulating machines



Oct. 6, 1936. A. w. MILLS PLUGBOARD FOR TABULATING MACHINES- Filed Aug. 29, 1935 3'Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- fih/m z zzz ATTORNEY- Oct. 6, 1936.

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PLUGBOARD FOR TABULATING MACHINES Filed Aug. 29, 1933 ssheets-s heet 3 ATTORNEY- I Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,056,361 PLUGBOARD FOR TABULATING MACHINES Application August 29, 1933, Serial No. 687,268

This invention relates to perforated card controlled accounting machines and more particularly to plug boards for use in connection with such machines whereby data read from particular positions on a card may be transmitted to the desired positions in an accumulating device, or

to effect control of a particular columnor columns of a printing mechanism.

In machines of this type, the perforation sensing elements are usually connected to separate plug sockets on the plug board and the various denominational orders of the accumulating devices are connected to other plug sockets on the plug board. These sockets are then interconnected by inserting plugging jacks between the sockets to connect a particular card column to the desired accumulating or printing column.

In this manner various other devices such, for instance, as group control and group indicating mechanisms may also be connected to the various columns as desired.

A machine of this type is disclosed in the patent to Peirce No. 1,780,685 issued November 4, 1930. One advantage of this type of connection between the perforation sensing elements and the accumulators, columns of type, and control devices is that any column on the card may be connected to any desired accumulating column, printing column, or other device or devices. This results in an extremely flexible system in which it is possible to apply data to record cards in any desired columns and thereafter to use the cards to control the making of reports in which the data taken from the cards may be printed according 35 to any'desired arrangement on the report sheet.

With such an arrangement it is also possible to use a set of cards to control the making of a report arranged according to a given form and then to use the same set of cards to prepare a report according to an entirely different form. These various forms are obtained by rearranging the plug connections on the plug board before operating the machine.

It is frequently common practice, particularly in statistical departments, to employ certain fixed forms of report repeatedly without making any changes or with only occasional slight changes in the connections between the card columns and the printing columns.

It is one object of this invention to provide a removable plug board on which a permanent setup may be made for a report form.

Another object is to provide a receiver for interchangeable plug boards each of which plug 3 Claims. (01. 173-328) boards being permanently set up for different report forms.

Another object is to provide a plug board with removable plugs and means to lock the plugs against removal when the plug board'is in oper- 5 ative position.

Another object is to provide a plug board of the type indicated wherein clean electrical contacts-between parts are assured.

I Various other objects and advantages of my 10 invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the invention also constitutes certain new and novel features 5 of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a conventional wiring diagram of a tabulating machine illustrating the manner in 20 which the invention is employed.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the plug board in position, certain parts being shown broken away for clearness.

Fig. 2a is an enlarged detail view of one of the 25 contacts and the retaining spring therefor.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the device with removable plugs and showing the 30 method of locking the plugs against removal when the plug board is in closed position.

Fig. 5 illustrates the removable plug interconnections on the plug board.

The wiring diagram illustrated in Figure 1 is similar to the diagram shown in the above mentioned patent and is shown here more clearly to illustrate the type of machine in which the instant invention is employed. In such machines two sets of perforation sensing brushes l and 2 are employed. These brushes'cooperate with corresponding contact members 3 and 4, one for each brush. The perforated cards are fed between the brushes 1 and 2 and their associated members 3 and 4.

When a perforation in a card column passes between a brush l or 2 and its corresponding memher 3 or 4 the brush completes an electrical circuit through the perforation to the accumulating, printing or other control relay to effect the desired operation of the machine. Each of the 7 numbers 3 and 4 is connected by individual wires 5 and 6 to corresponding terminals 1 and 8 0n the plug board 9. Additional terminals III are 5 connected to relays H which control the accumulating or printing devices or both.

In order to cause a particular column on a card to control a particular accumulating order or printing column, a plug connection is normally made between the respective terminals 1 and the desired terminal I0. Also when group indicating is to be eifected, that is, when a group designating number is to be printed, a connection is made by plugging from the desired terminal or terminals 1 to one of the terminals I1 and a similar plug connection is effected between terminals l9 and -l0. With such connections the controlling circuit will extend from the positive side of the line I4 to the common bar l5, individual magnet ll, terminal l6, plug connection to terminal l9, wire 26, contacts l6, terminal H, plug connection to terminal 1, wire 6, contact member 4, brush 2 and back to the other side of the line l4a.

According to the present invention these plugging connections on the plug board 9 which is made of a suitable dielectric material are omitted and a removable plug board 24 having terminals Ilia, 1a, etc., is provided. For printing and accumulating, the connections are now made beitween terminals 1a and Illa as indicated by the wire 25. Now when the plate 24 is brought into cooperative relation with the plug board 9 the several contacts Illa are brought into engagement with the corresponding terminal contacts l0, and contacts Ia engage 1 so that the proper connections are made between terminals 1 and I0. Similarly, for group indication, instead of plugging from terminals 1 to I! and Hi to H] on the plug board 9, the contacts 1a and Na, and Illa and l9a on the removable board 24 are permanently connected by wires 21 and 28. When the bO'lI'd 24 is brought into proper contact with the board 9 the plug connections are effected between terminals 1 and I1, and I6 and I9 to carry the circuit through contacts l6.

In order to effect group control through particular columns on the cards, the selected columns are connected through their brushes to magnets 2| by connecting the particular terminals 8 to the desired terminals 23. This is accomplished by connecting contacts 8a and 23a by wire 36, the contacts 8a and 23a being adapted to contact terminals 8 and 23 respectively when the board 24 is attached to the board 9.

Each magnet 2| effects its control of the machine by controlling one of the sets of contacts 2la, which contacts are connected in series, each set of contacts representing one column on the card. As many contacts 2la as are necessary may be used and those contacts not used may be shunted out by a connection between the terminals 31. This is effected by a wire 36 between contacts 31a on the removable board 24.

When adding in a given number of denominational order totalizer wheels and the total is such as to exceed the capacity of the given number of orders, the next higher order totalizer wheel may be connected to receive the overflow and to control its type element to print the total, by connecting the proper one of the magnets H through terminal I0 to the common terminal 39. A wire 40 may be connected between the particular contact Illa and one of the contacts 39a on the board 24 to effect this.

It may thus be seen that the machine may be provided with a terminal board on which-all plug connections are made to contact terminals. The plugging connections may be permanently made on a removable board which, when placed on the terminal board, properly interconnect the terminals.

Referring now to Figure 3, the contacts 1a, 8a,

Ila, etc., project from conductors 4| which extend through the board 24 which is made of a suitable dielectric material and to the opposite end of which conductors 4| are secured clips 42 to which may be attached the connecting wires 25, 21, 28, 36, etc. The board 24 is secured in a frame 43 which is removably supported in a hinged receiver 44 pivotally supported at 45 by projections extending downwardly and outwardly from a frame 46 in which is mounted the terminal board 9. The frame 46 may be permanently secured to the machine by brackets 4'! fragments of which appear in Figure 3.

Mounted in the upwardly projecting ends of the frame 46 is a shaft 48 having a pair of latch members 49 secured thereto. A spring 50 urges the shaft and the latches 49 clockwise (Fig. 3) into engagement with the removable board 24 to retain this board in cooperative relation with the terminal board 9.

When all of the connections have been made between the clips 42 on the board 9 a cover plate 5| is secured to the frame 43 thus concealing and protecting the connections. Guides 52 secured to the cover plate 5| provide a convenient receptacle for a card 53 upon which may be printed or otherwise marked data indicating the connections and/or form for which the particular board is wired.

In order to install the selected board 24, of which there may be a plurality each wired for a different form, the latches 49 are released allowing the receiver 44 to swing outwardly, the movement of the receiver being limited by projections 54 striking stop studs 55 on the frame 46. The board 24 then in the receiver may be slid upwardly and removed and the selected board may be then inserted. The receiver 44 and the inserted board 24 are then rocked counterclockwise (Fig. 3) until the latches 49 snap into position back of the frame 43.

As the board 24 is brought close to the board 9 the beveled ends of the contacts 1a, 6a, Ila, etc. come under the ends of the corresponding contacts 8, I 1, etc., camming these contacts upwardly against the tension of springs 56 mounted in connecters 51, thus making good electrical contacts. Projections ill! on the contacts 7, 8, l7, etc. fit within recesses 51a in the sides of the connector 51 to form pivots for the contacts and to prevent relative longitudinal movement thereof. Likewise projections 560 on the springs 56 fit in the recesses 51a on top of the contacts and in addition the right hand ends (Fig. 3) of the springs 56 are bent sharply as indicated at 56a (Figs. 2a, 3 and 4) to engage the board 9 thus preventing movement of the connectors 5'! in the board.

Figures 4 and 5 disclose a modified form of removable plug board in which the permanently wired connections are replaced entirelyor in part by detachable plug connecters. This arrangement makes possible setting up slight changes in the report form or setting up of special forms which differ widely from the former set up on the permanently wired boards.

Connecters 6| are provided with plugs 62 one electrically and mechanically secured to each end thereof. The plugs 62 have channels 62a in the under side thereof and when inserted into suitable apertures in the plug board said channels are 7 pressed downwardly to engage the board by springs 63 mounted on the plugs thus insuring thatthe plugs may not be accidentally displaced. The cover plate is omitted from this modified board to accommodate the projecting ends of the plugs 62 and the connecter 6!.

When the receiver 44 is closed the beveled inner ends 64 of the plugs 62 cam the contacts I, 8, i1, etc., upwardly. This action locks the plugs 62 against removal while the removable board is in contact with theterminal board 9.

The latches 49, in the case of themodifiedboard, cooperate with clips 65 secured to the plug board to retain said board in cooperative relation with the terminal board.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be madc by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a plugboard assembly for an electrical tabulating machine including a fixed terminal board and a movable plugboard, the combination of an insertable plug having a channel engaging the movable board to prevent accidental displacement of said plug, a spring to hold the channeled plug in engagement with said board, a removable connecter in the fixed terminal board including, a contact member provided with retaining projections to retain said contact member in the connecter, and a spring provided with retaining projections to retain said spring in the connecter, said spring having a bent portion to retain the connecter in the board.

to retain the pivoted contact member in the connecter, and a spring provided with retaining projections engaging the recessed sides of the connecter to tension the contact members whereby said pivoted contact member makes a wiping connection with the beveled contact member when the movable board is brought into operative relation with the fixed board.

3. In an electrically controlled tabulating machine the combination with a plugboard assembly including a fixed board and a movable board, of a connecter in the fixed board, said connecter having recessed-sides, a contact member having projections engaging the recessed sides to retain the contact member in the connecter, a spring having projections engaging the recessed sidesto retain the spring in the connecter, said spring being adapted to tension said contact member, an insertable plug provided with a channel to engage the movable board, said plug having a beveled end to make wiping contact with the contact member when the movable board is brought into operative relation with the fixed board, and a spring cooperating with the plug and with the movable board to hold the plug against accidental displacement.

- ALBERT 'w. MILLS. 

